Jewel box liner

ABSTRACT

A liner formed from a blank for a display case having a unique arrangement of fold lines such the blank can be folded and placed within the display case to form a sanitary storage compartment and provide a viewable surface containing print material. The liner has front and back panels which are attached along fold lines to a spine member. The back panel of the liner is attached to one or more side flaps along fold lines. A top flap may be attached along a fold line to a tab which is accessible exteriorly of the case and can be used to hang the display case. The liner is movable between a closed position where the panels are generally stacked in parallel disposition to one another to an open position where the panels are generally separable when the case is opened.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a jewel box receptacle and, moreparticularly, a liner adapted to be disposed in the receptacle which canbe folded to provide a print surface viewable from the exterior of thejewel box and an enclosure to assure a sanitary housing for goodsdisposed in the jewel box, whose contents can be displayed by indicia onthe print surface.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] A large variety of display boxes for a variety of contents areknown. Many of these boxes, known as jewel boxes or cases, aretransparent or at least contain one transparent wall. This allows theconsumer to view the contents of the case directly through thetransparent wall or to view printed information displayed within thecase. Such printed information will typically relate to the contentswithin the case as well as to the source of the contents or goods orprovide other advertising material.

[0005] One way to store contents along with printed information in adisplay or jewel case is to include the contents in the case and thenplace an insert card on top of the contents. Such insert card willtypically have written material on one side of the card which can beviewed from outside the display case if the written material is facing atransparent panel of the display case.

[0006] Although serving an important function of allowing the consumerto see the printed material on the insert card, such cards do notthemselves contain the goods within the display case. It is sometimesdesirable to include an insert card or blank which can be folded to forma liner for the case and serve as a type of container within the displaycase much like a box in order to keep the contents within the displaycase organized and sanitary, and prevent the contents from falling outof the display case when it is opened. For example, the contents maycontain a food product or a reusable item which needs to be housed afterthe original package is opened.

[0007] There therefore exists a need for a jewel box liner which can befolded from a blank to form an inner container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In accordance with the invention, a blank is provided having afront and back panel which is connected along fold lines to a spinemember or panel. The back panel is also connected to one or more sideflaps and a top flap along fold lines. The front and back panels of theblank are easily folded into overlying relation along the fold lines,separated by the spine member or panel.

[0009] When in overlying relation, the front and back panels of theblank are generally in parallel disposition to one another so that aninterior space is defined by the folded side flaps, top flap, and thefront and back panels of the blank. In a fully extended open position,the front and back panels of the blank are separated in an axialdirection, and the goods contained within the interior space between thepanels are thereby easily accessible.

[0010] The folded blank is also provided in combination with a rigiddisplay case or jewel box which has a top and bottom cover, and each ofwhich has a front wall, a rear wall and a plurality of side walls. Thetop and bottom covers of the case are hinged to each other in such amanner that the top and bottom covers can be pivoted with respect toeach other.

[0011] When the top and bottom covers of the display case are pivoted toa closed position, the front walls of the top and bottom covers aregenerally in parallel, overlying disposition to one another such that aninterior space is defined by the front, rear and side walls of thecovers. This interior space is typically large enough to contain theclosed and folded blank or liner which is placed inside the rigiddisplay case.

[0012] In a separate embodiment of the invention, the blank of thepresent invention includes a tab having a hole which is attached along afold line to one of the flaps attached to the back panel of the foldedblank. The tab is positioned so that so that it can pass inbetween thefirst and second parts of the display case or jewel box such that thetab is disposed and accessible outside the case. The tab typically alsohas one or more holes or apertures which are used to hang the foldedblank together with the display case on a rack, for example, a pegboardhook on a pegboard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Further objects and advantage of the invention will becomeapparent from the following specification and claims and from theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one form of blank used to form theliner of the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a display case top cover used in thepresent invention;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a display case bottom cover used inthe present invention;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a blank used to form a liner inaccordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a display case and foldedliner formed from the blank of FIG. 4, in a closed position;

[0019]FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a display case and foldedliner formed from the blank of FIG. 1, in a closed position;

[0020]FIG. 7A to FIG. 7E illustrate the folding of the blank of FIG. 1to form a liner for a display case; and

[0021]FIG. 8A to FIG. 8F illustrate the folding of the blank of FIG. 4to form a liner for a display case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numeralsindicate like elements throughout the several views, there isillustrated a jewel box or display case 10 in combination with a liner12 or 12′ of the present invention.

[0023] The jewel box 10 has a rigid top cover 16 and a rigid bottomcover 17 hinged to the top cover 16 by one or more hinges 18. The topcover 16 and bottom cover 17 of the box 10 each has a split portion orhalf of a front wall 20, a split portion or half of a rear wall 21 and aplurality of interconnected side walls 22 which mate along opposed edges23, when the covers 16, 17 are in overlying parallel relation whenpivoted about hinges 18.

[0024] An interior space 15 is defined by the split front wall 20, thesplit rear wall 21, and side walls 22 when top cover 16 and bottom cover17 are pivoted to a closed position. The covers 16 and 17 aresubstantially co-planar when pivoted to an open position.

[0025] A variety of mechanisms well known in the art can be used to openand close or fasten top cover 16 and bottom cover 17. In a preferredembodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, box 10 has one or more bosses 24 oneach of the split front walls 22. Each boss 24 flexes and snaps past theother on the opposite split front wall 22 of covers 16, 17. Pivotingcover 16 and cover 17 into an open position is accomplished typically byapplying a slight pressure on bosses 24 so that bosses 24 snap and flexpast one another. As shown, the jewel box 10 is preferably rectangularin shape.

[0026]FIG. 1 illustrates one form of a blank 14 used to form a liner 12which is used in the jewel box 10. Liner 12 includes front panel 32 andback panel 34 which are connected along fold lines 35 (either a scoreline or perforated line) to spine member 36. Back panel 34 furtherincludes right and left flaps 38, 40 and a top flap 42. Top flap 42 isconnected to back panel 34 along fold line 43. Right flap 38 isconnected to back panel 34 along fold line 44, and left flap 40 isconnected to back panel 34 along fold line 45.

[0027] When jewel box 10 is in a closed position, and liner 12 folded,it can occupy space 15 as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 6 with thefront panel 32 and back panel 34 generally stacked in paralleldisposition to one another within an interior space defined between thefolded flaps 38, 40 and 42 of liner 12.

[0028] Flaps 38, 40 and 42 of insert 12 conform to the size and shape ofside walls 22, and the front and rear walls, 20, 21, respectively, ofdisplay case 10 such that interior space is maximized. A wide variety ofitems can be sanitarily stored in interior space of the folded liner 12.

[0029] Because flaps 38, 40 and 42 of back panel 34 are not attached tofront panel 32, liner 12 can be quickly opened simply by pivoting frontpanel 32 away from back panel 34 along fold line 35 connected to spinemember 36. Any contents (not shown) which are stored in interior space46 are thereby quickly accessible. Front panel 32 and back panel 34 aregenerally stacked in a coplanar relationship, when the jewel case isclosed.

[0030] Various advertising indicia may be printed on the surface area ofliner 12. Such information may be printed on front panel 32, back panel34 as well as any of flaps 38, 40, and 42 attached to back panel 34 oron spine member 36, which indicia is generally viewable through atransparent cover 16, cover 17, or a side wall 22 of box 10.

[0031] The liner 12 of the present invention can be made quickly andinexpensively. Liner 12 is typically formed from a one-piece foldableblank 14 of thin cardboard, paper or any other suitable material wellknown in the art, provided with a unique arrangement of fold lines andcut out portions, where necessary.

[0032]FIGS. 7A to 7E illustrate in sequence, by following the arrows, ofthe manner in which the liner 12 is folded from its blank 14 along thefold lines of the blank into a generally rectangular parallelepiped formprior to insertion into jewel box or display case 10.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 4, a liner 12′ formed from a blank 14′ can beformed according to a second preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0034] The display case 10 is the same for both the first and secondembodiments herein described. The only essential difference between thehereinafter described second embodiment with the previously describedfirst embodiment of the liner 12 is that liner 12′ is modified so as toprovide an additional hanging tab 60. Hanging tab 60 is attached to topflap 42 of back panel 34 by a crease or fold line 62. The folded line orcrease 62 is positioned so that hanging tab 60 can project between thesplit halves of front wall 20 of front cover 16 and bottom cover 17 ofdisplay case or jewel box 10 even when case 10 is in a closed position.

[0035] Hanging tab 60 includes one or more cut-out portions 64 toreceive a peg hook and other application when tab 60 projects out ofdisplay case 10 when case 10 is in a closed position to display case 10on a rack.

[0036] Further, because top flap 42 is one half its typical size, due tothe necessity of the projection of tab 60 between the split halves offront wall 20, back cover 34 of liner 12′ will typically include a sideflap 66 which is foldable along a line 67 in order to insure that anycontents in insert 12′ are completely contained when insert 30 is in theclosed position. Side flaps 66 and 42 will preferably conform togetherto the height of front wall 20 of display case 10. Side flap 66 willpreferably be about one-half the width of front wall 20 of display case10 since the other one-half width of front wall 21 of display case 10 isadjacent to top flap 42.

[0037]FIGS. 8A to 8F illustrate in sequence, by following the arrows,the manner in which the liner 12′ is folded from blank 14′ along thevarious fold lines of the blank 14′ into a generally rectangularparallelepiped form with extend hanging tab 60 prior to insertion intothe jewel box or display case 10.

[0038] While this invention has been described with reference toillustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to beconstrued in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the illustrativeembodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will beapparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to thisdescription. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims willcover any such modifications.

I claim:
 1. A blank for forming a liner for a jewel box comprising:front and back panels, said front and back panels being interconnectedby a fold line to a spine member, a side flap connected along a foldline to each edge of said back panel, and a top wall flap connected by afold line to the top edge of said back panel whereby said spine memberand top flap when folded cause said front and back panels to lie intoparallel disposition to one another to form an enclosed space with saidfolder flaps.
 2. The blank of claim 1, further comprising a tab havingone or more apertures to hang said folded blank connected by a fold lineto the top flap connected to the edge of said back panel opposite to theedge connected to said spine member.
 3. The blank of claim 2 including abottom flap connected by a fold line to the edge of said front panelremote from the edge connected to said spine member.
 4. The blank ofclaim 1 including a bottom flap connected by a fold line to the edge ofsaid front panel remote from the edge connected to said spine member, 5.The blank of claim 1 formed from cardboard.
 6. The blank of claim 2formed from cardboard.
 7. The blank of claim 3 formed from cardboard. 8.The blank of claim 4 formed from cardboard.
 9. In combination with adisplay case having a top and bottom cover pivotably connected to eachother, each cover each having a transparent wall and a plurality ofinterconnected side walls, said covers being pivotally connected andmovable between opened and closed positions relative to one another. aliner for said display case comprising: front and back panels,interconnected by a fold line to a spine member, a flap connected alonga fold line to each end of said back panel and to the edge of said backpanel removed from the edge connected to said spine member wherein saidpanels will be in parallel disposition to one another when said displaycase covers are closed and in an open position, when the covers aregenerally co-planar.
 10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said lineris formed from paper and said display case is formed from plastic. 11.The combination of claim 10 wherein said liner has indicia imprinted onat least one of said front and bottom panels.
 12. The combination ofclaim 9 wherein said side flaps of said liner are substantially the samedimension as said side walls of said display case.
 13. The combinationof claim 9 wherein said blank includes a tab having one or moreapertures which is used to hang said folded blank within said displaycase, said tab being connected by a fold line to the top flap connectedto the edge of said back panel, and extends beyond the top edge of saidfront and rear wall of said display case.
 14. The combination of claim13 wherein said top flap connected to said tab is about one-half theheight of the side walls of said display case and a second tab isconnected by a fold line to the front panel to conform to about one-halfthe height of the side wall of said display case to form an enclosedliner with said other liner panels and tabs in said display case
 15. Amethod of storing items in a sanitary condition in a display comprising:(a) providing a liner having front and back panels interconnected by aspine member, and said back panel is attached to one or more side flapsand a top flap by fold lines and said liner is movable between a closedposition, wherein the panels are generally stacked in paralleldisposition to one another, and an open position, wherein the panels aregenerally co-planar: (b) providing a display case having a top andbottom cover pivotally connected and movable between opened and closedpositions relative to one another; (c) inserting said liner into saiddisplay case with the front and back panel in contact with the top andbottom covers of said display case, respectively, to form an interiorportion between the side flaps and top of said liner when said displaycase is pivoted to a closed position; (d) opening said display case; and(e) inserting an item to be stored into said interior space.
 16. Themethod of claim 15 including providing a tab on said liner fordisplaying said stored items in said case.
 17. The method of claim 15including providing a tab on said liner.